


ties that bind

by catsandanimenerd



Series: Mistake Messenger [4]
Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, alternative alternative title: how saeran chose the perf person to infiltrate the rfa, alternative title: mc meets the rfa before she joins, mc has a name, super spoopy, u didnt think he chose mc by ~chance~ did u??, what do i tag this as
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-09-14 23:29:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9210167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catsandanimenerd/pseuds/catsandanimenerd
Summary: little acts of kindness often go unnoticed





	1. the lost possibilities

**Author's Note:**

> MC, as always, is Haneul  
> Combined my want of a MM prologue with my musings as to how Saeran chose MC to infiltrate. Was she as random as the game made it seem? Or was she deliberately chosen to shake up the RFA and cause confusion? And so, the idea for this short drabble series began. It takes place anywhere from a year to a year and a half after Rika's suicide, and will show off little instances where Haneul met the members before she joined. Whether or not she remembers them is up in the air, and whether or not THEY remember HER is also up in the air, though a certain hacker with a certain photographic memory may or may not remember her face.

Luciel knows he’s getting _looks_ , but with the perfected facade of a secret agent, he ignores them and continues walking through the store. His heels click loudly against the linoleum floor, and a cocky smile curves his painted lips. The long red hair of his wig is soft against his contoured, porcelain skin, swaying this way and that. It’s not that he’s _enjoying_ the attention to his long, pale legs exposed by the tight pencil skirt, but he certainly does feel _giddy_ over the whispers following his feminine form.

Sighing audibly, Luciel pushes the Gucci sunglasses up onto his head, eyes scanning the clothes lining the aisle. He’s looking for something very specific, but he’s never been to this store in the mall before. Still, he’s done the research and this is the only store with the item he wants.

Rather than waste time looking for it himself, Luciel starts looking for the nearest employee to take him to it. His eyes scan his surroundings briefly, absorbing information in a quick, timely manner. He snorts, then, rolls his eyes, and continues walking. If he can’t find someone straightening up a pile of clothes, he supposes that the next best thing is to go to the cash register and prod( _torture_ )the cashier for information. His posture straightens immediately, his chin lifts up, and there’s a confidence in the way he walks that Luciel doesn’t really feel.

His first potential victim is a scrawny, oily faced teenage boy with an average face and short, black hair that would have looked better on an anime character. He adheres lazily to the dress code of the store, a simple white shirt(with a few grease stains proudly showing off)and black pants adorning his body. He looks like someone that Luciel would mess with on principal, for the way his face twists just so. He’s more likely to do this, actually, after he sees the other cashier.

His second potential victim is a shorter woman with long, silky brown hair. She’s got a heart shaped face and warm brown eyes that Luciel could probably fall into and never want to leave. She’s a little stricter in her fashion sense than her coworker in a white knit, v-neck sweater, and tight black leggings that hug her thighs and hip in a flattering manner.

(Luciel approaches them silently, drinking in the sight of the woman with a pang of loneliness in his heart. She’s _exactly_ his type, but he can never pursue her. He’s too dangerous, too secretive, too _broken_ to maintain any kind of romantic relationship.)

(He frowns a little bit, when he starts to notice her body language. She’s guarded, closed off, _defensive_ , and his eyes drift towards the boy sharing her space. He’s too close to her, and Luciel is beginning to get bad vibes off of his greasy ass.)  
  
(.....Maybe he _will_ mess around with that one.)  
  
The woman notices his approach first, a smile forcing itself onto her face at the sight of a customer. He swallows thickly, heart racing in his throat, and mimics her smile with a coy one of his own. As he gets closer, he can see that her name is _Haneul_ , if the lanyard around her neck is right.

“Hello ma’am. Do you need help finding something?” she chirps softly, sending shivers down his spine. They make eye contact, and Haneul seems to freeze in place, captivated. Luciel clears his throat awkwardly and leans forward a bit. They’re so close, separated only by the counter, and Luciel wonders what it would be like if she meant something more to him. Would he close the gap between them and capture her lips in his? Would he pull her close and nuzzle her apple red cheeks, teasing her like he teases the RFA members? Would she play along, bounce off of him? There’s so many possibilities in this stranger that it makes his head spin.

“Um, yes, I’m looking for a pair of leggings,” he says after a long silence, pulling out his phone and scrolling through the web page. He stops on the leggings and shows it to Haneul, who nods to herself.

“Oh, are you looking for the galaxy print ones? We still have some left. I can show you where they are,” she informs him, her smile less stiff and more welcoming than before. Luciel grins widely and, impulsively, closes the distance between them, pecks her cheek in gratitude and pulls away just as fast. Haneul is left with a healthy blush, and the boy cashier’s mouth drops open in shock.

“Thanks for the help, _cutie_ ,” he purrs flirtatiously, winking at the stunned cashier. Haneul squeaks but exits the cash rap nonetheless, committed to her job. Luciel follows her as she power walks, turning his head to smirk at the male cashier in an obvious challenge.

“I’m sorry I did that. It seemed like the easiest way to get that creep off your back,” he apologizes once they’re out of earshot, bending down slightly to whisper in her ear. Haneul shudders at the sensation, then shakes her head, eyes finding his once more.

“It’s ok. It was just a-just a ki-ki-kiss on the ch-ch-cheek,” she stutters, and he melts a little bit more. “I appreciate it though. He’s a little creepy to be-to be honest with-with you. I try to-try to avoid him if I can.” Luciel hums in acknowledgement, the urge to take her hand in his overwhelming.

(He wants the possibilities she offers, wants them so badly that it _hurts_ his chest, but he refrains from doing so.)

“Here we are,” she says, leaning on the fixture slightly. Luciel’s eyes light up, dilemma near forgotten as he spots his prize. “Which size do you need?”  
  
“Probably an extra large,” he offers, shrugging. Haneul’s fingers are slim, he notices, as she sifts through the garments on the rack. They look soft, too, when she hands him the leggings, and his hand curls around hers just the slightest to catch her warmth. If she notices, she doesn’t comment.

“Anything else you need help with?” she asks, looking at him with gentle eyes. He shakes his head, his grin fading slightly.

“No, thank you though. Can you cash me out?” Haneul answers in the affirmative, leading him back to the register.

.

.

.

(He never notices the security cameras following him, never notices the traces of a hacker left behind as data.)

(He most certainly doesn’t notice the camera following Haneul, either.)


	2. morning routines interrupted

Zen’s morning route consists of a light breakfast and a light jog through the nearby park. Afterwards, he makes his way to the local gym and works out for an hour or two before heading home for lunch. If he has morning rehearsal, he forgoes the gym in favor of it, choosing to go later instead. It’s this strict routine that’s allowed him to stay glowing, positive,  _ healthy _ since the passing of Rika, and he rarely deviates.

That morning, he follows his regiment perfectly, up until he hears the voice of what  _ has  _ to be an angel singing in the park. It’s usually empty, deserted at this time of day, and his blood rushes through his veins at the sound. Heart racing faster than normal, he diverts his course and swerves, looking for the only other person in the park. He stops behind a tall tree, peering around it once he sees a figure.

She’s sitting on one of the benches, posture lax and quietly exhausted. At her feet is a medium-sized dog, panting lightly and leaning into her leg. Her eyes are closed but Zen imagines that they’re as brown as her hair, two deep pools of unfathomable depth. Her chest rises as she sucks in air to sing, but before she can open her mouth, the dog at her heels is growling and barking.

“Dooman, what’s wrong?” she mumbles, rubbing her tired eyes. She opens them, blinks rapidly, then looks around. “And where’s Jae-joon?! Oh  _ god _ his dad is going to kill me!” Dooman whimpers at her distress, pushing his face into his owner’s arms. The woman buries her face in his soft fur for a moment before pulling away. “Come on, he couldn’t have gotten too far.”

Zen runs a hand through his damp hair and quietly comes to a decision. He can’t leave a lady in distress, now can he? He takes a deep breath before stepping out into the open, revealing himself to the woman and her dog. The dog doesn’t take too kindly to his appearance, a low growl in his throat at the sight of the stranger approaching.

“Hello there. I was just on my morning jog when I overhead you? Did you lose someone?” he asks perfectly, his voice soothing and calm. The dog still doesn’t trust him but he doesn’t fault the animal for that. 

“Oh, um, I-I ye-yes. He’s my nephew, Jae-joon. He’s-He’s only three years o-old,” the woman says, face red with embarrassment. Zen’s smile brightens.

“Perhaps I can help? I know this park like the back of my hand,” he offers genuinely. The woman stares at his face, taking in his features, and nods slightly. 

“Where do you think a three old would go?” she asks, her tone shifting to seriousness. There’s still distress in her eyes but she’s chosen to tamper it and start looking for her lost nephew, and Zen feels warmth bubbling in his chest at the sight. He places a hand on his chin, mentally mapping out the park. It’s a small one, but to a toddler it would be a maze. 

“Maybe the playground further down? Did you pass it on your way here?” he questions her, tapping a finger against his face. 

“He  _ did _ want to play over there but I said no,” she answers, frowning. Zen doesn’t think as he tilts her head up, a softness on his face that rarely ever makes its appearance.

“It’s not your fault that he wandered off. Let’s just get him back to his aunt safe and sound, ok?” She nods, a bright blush painted on her face at their proximity. Zen is hyper aware of  _ everything _ , from the sweat dripping down his back, to the fluttering of the woman’s lashes against her skin. He’s never felt this electrified before, and he can feel his beast waking inside his chest.

“I-I think we better-better search for-for Jae-joon,” she says, pulling away from his touch. Zen nods, eyes glancing downwards towards the now-demure dog. He’s glad it calmed down, otherwise it would have been harder to find the toddler.

They start jogging towards the playground together, shoulders bumping occasionally. Dooman seems happy with the setup, tongue hanging out as he runs beside them. 

“Jae-joon! Where are you babe?” she yells, losing breath quickly. Zen keeps a hand hovering over her back, ready to support the woman should she fall. She doesn’t seem to be in shape though she’s thin. They burst onto the playground, empty save for a small boy and a young man. 

“Jae-joon!” she screams as she recognize the boy. Upon hearing his name, the toddler raises his head to look at her. She runs over to him, skidding on the harsh wood chips and scooping him up into her arms.

“Aunty!” he yells happily, bouncing in her embrace. Dooman barks and tries to get to the baby, intent on licking his face in his excitement. “No, doggy!”

“Babe, why did you run away from me? You know you’re supposed to stay with aunty!” she scolds, body shaking in relief and anger. Tears fall freely down her cheeks and she wipes them away with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. 

Rather than answer her, Jae-joon starts babbling incoherently in her ear. The woman takes deep breaths to calm down, her eyes finding those of the young man across from her. He’s about her age, with ebony hair and bright, green eyes that seem almost inhuman. He’s smiling, her relief reflecting in his posture. 

“I’m very grateful that you looked after my nephew,” she says after staring for a moment. The man is oozing kindness and his relief is obvious, but there’s still  _ something _ in his face that sets her on edge. She clutches the toddler closer, uncaring of the drool mixing with her hair. Dooman senses something in the air around them as well, and presses himself against her side. She stands slowly, copying the man’s movements.

“It was no trouble at all. I was about to take him to a police officer when you showed up. I’m just glad he’s safe,” the man tells her, smiling. She bows lowly, fingers scraping her nephew’s hair soothingly. 

“Thank you,” she says again, and he waves before hurriedly leaving. The woman turns towards the other man who helped her, her posture relaxing. Zen grins, giving her a thumbs up.

“Glad to see that this worked out ok. Your nephew is  _ very _ lucky to have such a caring,  _ beautiful _ aunt,” he teases gently, hoping to clear the tense air. The woman blushes darkly, glancing off to the side so that she doesn’t have to make eye contact with him.

“W-W-Well, he’s th-three and he’s gotten into-into all sorts of trouble,” she explains, adjusting the toddler’s weight on her hip. The baby is still babbling in her ear but it’s easy to tune out. “I-I’m grateful that-that you helped me-me as well,” she continues, bowing low to Zen. 

“It was no problem! If there’s a woman in distress, I will always run to the rescue,” he says gallantly, winking at her. “If it’s not too much trouble, may I get the fair lady’s name?”

“Haneul,” she tells him, fingers brushing Jae-joon’s head softly. “And I was-was under the assumption that-that one should give their own name before-before asking another’s.” Zen’s face morphs in astonishment.

“O-Oh, you’re right. My name is Hyun,” he tells her warmly, grasping her hand and pressing a kiss to it. She giggles pleasantly at the act, pressing her face against her nephew.

.

.

.  
(They don’t notice the young man watching from behind a tree.)  
  
(They certainly don’t notice the crazed grin forming on his lips at their interaction, a plan forming in his twisted mind.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well,,,,this was Something....I had my great nephew stay w me for three days and let me tell you this,,,if I hadnt been watching him, he would have been out the door. We had to lock the doors bc he has a strange indifference to death-kid once put his finger in a blender for the LOLZ and still tries to chew at it


	3. the girl at the coffeehouse

She taps her foot impatiently, hands playing with her phone and constantly checking the time. There’s a current of anxiety thrumming through her veins as it inches towards one o’clock, her hour lunch break draining away. The line in the coffee shop is long, and she’s been standing there for at least twenty minutes, impatience humming in the air.

Jaehee is close to the counter, though, is next in line to order after the redhead and brunette in front of her. They speak to each other quietly, discussing some subject that Jahee doesn’t care to eavesdrop on. They shuffle forward a little bit, allowing Jaehee to move as well. The adrenaline in her veins calms somewhat, but now she’s far too close to the women and can hear their whispering voices.

“Ok, so you wanted a fruit smoothie and a nutella stuffed cookie, right Haneul?” the redhead asks, glancing at the brunette. Haneul nods, shuffling closer to her friend, a low hum of approval in her throat.

“Thank you Ae-jeong,” she murmurs, timid and shy. Jaehee can see the tips of her ears turning red, and her heart goes out to the poor woman.

The barista beckons Haneul and Ae-jeong forward, a customer friendly smile planted firmly in place. Jaehee loves coffee, and her dream of owning her own little coffee shop is far from reality, but right now she knows that the plastered smile of those in the foodservice industry is one she needs to work on. She takes a deep breath and contorts her face into-hopefully-a passable, pleasant smile.

While Ae-jeong orders their food, Haneul turns slightly, her eyes scanning the packed coffee house, presumably for a seat. Her full, gorgeous brown eyes meet Jaehee’s, and a flush colors her cheeks red. She turns on her heel abruptly and her long skirt whirls with her legs,  and Jaehee’s chest flutters at the clearly embarrassed motion.

 _Cute_ , she thinks, and Haneul glances back at her, her teeth chewing on the skin of her lips. She’s trying to be discreet, so Jahee checks the time again and her lips pull up into a frown. She only has a little over half an hour to eat and get back to the C&R building. Jahee sighs and her shoulders sag under the pressure.

The two women move out of the way, then, and Jaehee steps forward. Haneul seems nervous, though Jaehee doesn’t seem to notice. Ae-jeong converses lowly with her, her red face pressed into Haneul’s neck.

Jahee gives the barista her order in clipped, neat tones, an itch under skin as the clock continues to tick closer to the end of her break. The barista is still smiling, and Jahee has to admire her professionalism against Jaehee’s clearly uninterested facade.

“What do I owe you?” she asks, taking out her wallet and pulling a few loose _won_ free. The barista shakes her head, her smile growing wider.

“The women ahead of you paid for your lunch,” she says, winking at Jaehee’s suddenly warm face. “The brunette one left a note, too.”

The handwriting is sloppy, shaky, but readable. Jaehee scans it, the warmth of Haneul’s action chasing away the cold anxiety that had infiltrated her veins and filled her head.

**_‘Ms-_ **

**_-You looked like you were very stressed and could use a pick me up. I know it’s not much, but please enjoy your lunch and have a wonderful afternoon!’_ **

There isn’t a name, but a drawing of a group of stars along the bottom to act as a signature. Jaehee holds the note to her chest, a small, genuine smile breaking out on her face.

(She wants to find this girl, wants to _connect_ with her more deeply, and her heart _aches_ at the missed chance.)

(There’s a dangerous fantasy, whispering in her head, of long nights watching Zen’s musicals together, laughing as they sip wine. There’s moments of coffee breaks and home cooked food, the empty void in her chest filling up.)  
  
"(But there’s no place for fantasies, no place in her life for a friend, for a partner, so Jaehee pushes it away from her mind and locks it away.)

“That was very kind of them,” she tells the barista instead of the maelstrom raging inside her head, moving out of line to wait for her order. The man behind her taps her shoulder and she turns, his strange green eyes flickering towards the entrance.

“If you want to catch up, they _just_ left,” he murmurs kindly, white hair catching the overhead lights oddly. Jaehee shakes her head at him, her smile still so _genuine_ that it’s starting to hurt her mouth.

“It’s alright sir. Their kindness was enough,” she tells him, missing the way his grin stretches.

(Her energy quickly drains as she returns to work, thoughts of the woman fading until they’re only dreams she sees at night.)

(And Haneul makes it to the next round of a game she doesn’t know she’s playing, the center of attention on a low lit stage before the curtains opens and the play begins.)

(He crosses Jaehee’s name off the list, and then there were two.) 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooooo things are starting to come together in the background  
> next up will be jumin, and then yoosung~~  
> tbh i've always wanted to pay for someone else's order and start a pay it forward but im kind of anxious and awkward, and wouldn't know how to approach the cashier w that intention???

**Author's Note:**

> The cashier dude is based off of a real life cashier at work that gives me bad vibes,,,,,wish a pretty girl would come swoop me off my feet away from him I would DIE,,,,but alas, i can only avoid him for now rip in peace T_T  
> Was gonna have Seven be savage as well as kiss Haneul but it's almost 2 AM and I am cold and want to sleep and also, I can't deliberately BE savage, it just comes out cause I have poor filtering.


End file.
